Books like Caffeine by Ryan Grabow

An illustrated guide that maps coffee’s global roots, covering production, history, and culture across more than 70 countries.

Discover the science and art of coffee with step‑by‑step instructions for making lattes, cappuccinos, and more, plus 130+ global recipes, flavor profiles, and roasts from around the world.

Over 85% of Americans use significant amounts of caffeine on a daily basis, but very few of us know much about this freely available psychoactive substance. The World of Caffeine takes us on an engaging tour of the fascinating cultural history of the drug that has figured prominently in the exchanges of trade and intelligence that constitute the history and intercourse of nations. Its most common sources -- coffee, tea, and chocolate -- have been both promoted as productive of health and creativity and banned as corrupters of the body and mind or subverters of social order. Taking us from India to Balzac to cyber cafes, this is a captivating tale of psychology, religion, social classes, international trade, love, and art. - Back cover.

One of the country's most celebrated roasters explains how to choose, brew, and enjoy the new breed of artisan coffees at home, along with 40 inventive recipes that incorporate coffee or taste good with a cup. Coffee is experiencing a renaissance and Blue Bottle Coffee Company has quickly become one of America's most celebrated roasters. Famous for its complex and flavorful coffees, Blue Bottle delights its devoted patrons with exquisite pour-overs, delicious espressi, and specialized brewing methods. Yet as coffee production becomes more sophisticated with specialized extraction techniques and Japanese coffee gadgets, the new artisan coffees can seem out of reach. The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee explains this new world from farm to cup, exploring the bounty of beans available and the intricate steps that go into sourcing raw coffee from around the globe. Blue Bottle founder James Freeman coaches you through brewing the perfect cup of coffee, using methods as diverse as French press, nel drip, siphon, and more to produce the best flavor. For coffee lovers who want to roll up their sleeves and go deeper, Freeman explains step by step how to roast beans at home using standard kitchen tools -- just like he did when starting out. The Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee also introduces a home technique for cupping, the industry method of tasting coffees for quality control, so you can hone your taste and share your meticulously roasted coffee with friends. Rounding out the book are more than thirty inventive recipes from Blue Bottle pastry chef and former Miette bakery owner Caitlin Freeman that incorporate coffee or just taste particularly good with coffee, such as Saffron Vanilla Snickerdoodles, Stout Coffee Cake with Pecan-Caraway Streusel, Affogato with Smoky Almond Ice Cream, Coffee Panna Cotta, and more. With more than one hundred stunning photographs showing coffee's journey from just-harvested cherry to perfect drink, this distinctive and deep guide to the new breed of amazing coffees from one of the top artisan coffee makers will change the way you think about -- and drink -- coffee. - Publisher.

"Here is the ultimate Arabica to Zambia guide to all things coffee. Informative and handily sized, this eminently giftable package covers everything that goes into brewing the perfect cup. There's something new to learn on every page! More than 200 entries, colorfully illustrated with artwork throughout, expertly explain everything from terms and techniques, beans and roasts, to equipment and methods. Newbies and connoisseurs will while away the hours "pouring" over the amazing amount of information in this chic and essential reference--a perfect brew for coffee lovers!"--Publisher's description.